New York will expand its initiative that provides non-driver ID cards to individuals released from Department of Corrections and Community Supervision custody. The program is now available in all 43 State-run correctional facilities, with non-driver ID cards provided to more than 700 individuals to date.
Governor Kathy Hochul’s ‘Jails to Jobs’ initiative incorporates a series of programs and State actions aimed at increasing re-entry into the workforce and reducing recidivism by focusing on connecting previously incarcerated individuals with education, resources and opportunities for job placement. This pre-release ID program is spearheaded by the DMV in cooperation with the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS). It began at the Governor’s direction in April 2022 at the Wyoming Correctional Facility in Attica and the Taconic Correctional Facility and Bedford Hills Correctional Facility, both in Westchester County.
DOCCS staff at the facilities are assisting incarcerated individuals with gathering the necessary paperwork to apply for an ID and take their photo. Once the DMV processes the transaction, the ID is delivered directly to the correctional facility so it is available to the individual.
DOCCS also works directly with the DMV to help eligible incarcerated individuals renew their driver license. This enables them to regain their driving privileges post-release without needing to reapply at a DMV office. DMV and DOCCS have worked together to ensure that those who are eligible for a license renewal can receive the required eye exam and renewal while still in a DOCCS facility.
